01/20/19

John Gaccione

Headquarters has been getting requests from folks to clarify our stance on nomenclature. Can the faithful and their positions really be called…“old guard’? 

The reference “old guard” usually implies original or long time standing members of a group, especially those who are unwilling to accept change, new ideas or practices.  The old guard folks highly value maintaining the existing status quo over all else.

A small vocal minority in Kensington has been describing the faithful and their views as “old guard”. No doubt their intent is to divide our community. They use the term along with hyperbole and disinformation in attempts to poison our political climate, needless to say nothing remotely like the faithful’s “Kensington Independent”!

The faithful hear “old guard” used frequently in discussing the issue of keeping our independent police department under local control. But when we examine the record we soon see referring to the faithful as the “old guard” is just another case of making mountains out of molehills. 

For example, a review of a few positions the faithful have taken on a number of KPPCSD issues clearly illustrates where they stand. 

Re: Bifurcating the general manager/chief of police position – The faithful believed the combined GM/COP position had no inherent conflicts and had been working fine for many years. So why change? 

Re: Outsourcing professional police services – The faithful oppose outsourcing with another agency to provide professional police standards and procedures, better training, record keeping and HR services. They choose local control over change.

Re: Matrix Study and Reports – The faithful continually reject the need for the Matrix study. They question Matrix’s expertise, their findings and their recommendations for changes in the police department. 

Re: Reorganization of the administration department – The faithful wish to keep the inefficient staff positions and archaic method of payroll. They oppose reorganization and changing to a computer-based system for the district.

For the faithful the way forward is clear. While a small vocal minority endeavors to divide our community between “old guard” and whatever, the vast majority of the faithful stand firm upon the rock of the status quo. 

So fear not, the faithful will not be swayed by corrosive epithets. Can I get an amen?

“Status quo, you know, is Latin for ‘the mess we’re in’.” (Ronald Reagan)

Keeping K-burg Mercifully Satire Free since way before 2008